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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bank — of a river
  3. march — the month
  4. firm — steady
  5. bank — for money
  6. march — the month
  7. march — music
  8. firm — a company
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. bore — to drill
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. rest — what's left
  13. saw — the tool
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bank — for money
  17. rest — a break
  18. saw — the tool
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. shower — rain
  21. shower — to wash
  22. firm — decided
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bore — gave birth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com